With the flat season now very much in full swing, and the Derby run, the Royal meeting at Ascot comes under the microscope. The racing on offer this week is nothing short of world class, and I for one am very excited indeed!
We had a great week punting last year so hopefully we can recreate a bit of that form and replenish the coffers with some bookies cash!
I’m very lucky to be attending tomorrow and will be donning all my finery. With beauty sleep in mind I’m just going to crack on with it and forego the usual preamble.
14:30 Queen Anne Stakes (Group 1) – Always good to start a day at the races with a Group 1! It’s a reasonably boring betting heat at the moment and I feel the market reflects how the race should pan out pretty accurately. Toronado, the St. James’ Palace contender of twelve months ago, returns to run with the older horses over the straight mile having been beaten a short head by crack miler and sire Dawn Approach. Verrazano, American import and Lockinge third, wouldn’t be the first horse to make the transition from Pletcher to O’Brien and experience success at this meeting. However, this race may be beyond him, even though there definitely was more to come after his efforts at Newbury. The favourite at even money is the bet to get me off to a flying start. Here’s hoping.
15:05 Coventry Stakes (Group 2) – I’ve been staying in the Lambourn area for the last week or so and whilst discussing Ascot selections I received a bit of flack from the locals for maybe being slightly biased towards Irish form for a lot of races. That isn’t too far from the truth in several of instances, however in the case of this years renewal I really do think a very sharp Irish colt has emerged. The Ger Lyons trained, son of Showcasing, Cappella Sansevero is attempting to win the Coventry for the Irish for the 4th consecutive year. He has won all three of his starts including a cosy Listed win at Naas last time. The one negative is he has never faced a large field before, but his draw is a gift and I’d be hoping he can run a bigger race than his price suggests. Shiekh Fahad Al Thani obviously agrees with my opinion as he paid £1.3 million for him this evening at the Goffs sale at The Orangery at Kensington Palace. The favourite, War Envoy, is vulnerable and there is no real excuses for his disappointing third last time. Obviously there are several other threats but I am quite pleased with my each way bet on the Lyons charge.
15:45 King’s Stand Stakes (Group 1) – The sphere of modern Group 1 sprinting is a unique one. They all tend to beat each other at some point in time so it is a case of hitting and hoping, for the punter at large, that you’re on the right horse at the right time. Last years winner Sole Power is now rated 2 lbs lower than last year but still catches my eye. Hughesie takes the ride and, if his RP column is anything to go bye, fancies his chance. Guerre has shown himself to have plenty of speed and is in receipt of a nice weight for age allowance here. He had a nice win in a listed contest, although only beating an unfit Maarek and receiving a stone, showed a bit of pace. This is a big step up for him but with 16/1 available in places an each way tipple is very much to my liking. Those are my two against the field.
16:25 St James’s Palace Stakes (Group 1) – The Guineas form has worked out extremely well with the Irish Guineas winner in second and the Derby winner in third. The talking point leading up to this race has been the ground and how it will be come race time tomorrow. The judges reckon Kingman bends the knee a touch and requires a dig in the surface to be seen to best effect. However, I feel Night of Thunder, is superb value at the price to uphold the guineas form. His Greenham Stakes defeat to the Gosden horse is forgivable and Im putting that defeat down to a lack of race fitness. Night of Thunder improved significantly from Newbury to Newmarket and should have actually won the Guineas by farther. If the ground dries out a touch and is reported as any way quicker than good to soft I’ll be backing Night of Thunder. If its soft it could be a very different story though. Keep an eye on the ground.
17:00 Ascot Stakes (Handicap) – Two against the field here in what is a pretty open handicap. Brockwell is the first, off a feather weight, and out of the in form Dascombe yard, this son of Singspiel was a favourite for last year’s Caesarewich Handicap at Newmarket. He was fancied that day off a mark of 91. Now back to 88 has an each way squeak at a big price. The second is Ballinderry Boy who has won at the track and seems to love a good test. 20 furlongs here should bring out the best in the Balding horse.
17:35 Windsor Castle Stakes (Listed) – A bit of a minefield to finish day one, if Im honest. A stiff five furlongs for two year olds with 25 runners is never an easy one to solve. Merdon Castle is of interest and could go well tomorrow with Ryan Moore in the plate. Bwana at a very big price advertises a bit of form from the Curragh that I think could be quite good. Second to a sharp filly of Lady O’Reilly’s called Beach Belle on opening day of the season, won his maiden next time up and then second to a Ballydoyle War Front two year old called The Great War who is quite smart. Ive put a line through Bwana’s last run and will be extremely satisfied if he can run into a place at a big price. James Doyle takes the ride.
So thats it for Day one folks! All the very best with your own selections.
If Toronado comes in you’ll find me perched at the Montjeu bar for the rest of the day.
Slán tamaillín,
T
Turf Talk 